A  SERMON 


IN  BEHALF  OF 


It.  Knk'B  fctt  far  imitate  CJjrtHtwnjfnrialrs 


i£x  ICtbrta 


SEYMOUR  DURST 


When  you  leave,  please  leave  this  book 

Because  it  has  been  said 
"Ever  thing  comes  t'  him  who  waits 

Except  a  loaned  book." 


Avery  Arc  hitixtural  and  Fine  Arts  Library 
Gift  of  Seymour  B.  Durst  Old  York  Library 


fljc  (Pijurrlfs  #linistrnfe  Cm. 

A 

SERMON 

PREACHED  IN  ST,  LUKE'S  CHURCH,  NEW  YORK  CITY, 

St.  Luke's  Day,  1851, 

IN  BEHALF  OF 

THE  OBJECT  THEN  PROPOSED  AND  COMMENCED, 

viz : 

St.  Luke's  Home  for  Destitute  Christian  Females. 

BY  THE  RECTOR. 

NEW  YORK. 

1851, 


AA 


SERMON. 


Only  they  would  that  we  should  remember  the  Poor  :  the 
same  which  i  also  was  forward  to  do.  gal.  ii.  10. 

Ever  since  the  Lord  of  life  took  to  himself  a  body 
like  ours,  there  has  been  felt  among  all  who  are  His, 
a  deep  reverence  for  maris  body.  By  His  very  incarna- 
tion, there  henceforth  dwelt  in  humanity,  a  fresh,  an 
intenser  feeling  of  sympathy  for  every  form  of  human 
suffering.  From  Christ,  as  He  stood  among  us,  in  our 
nature,  there  gushed  from  His  feeling  bosom  towards 
the  surrounding  distress,  a  compassionateness  which 
no  weariness  could  lull,  and  which  no  toil  and  fatigue 
could  blunt.  Had  His  "mission"  to  earth  been  simply 
to  assuage  bodily  ailments,  the  foundation  then  laid 
would  have  been  built  upon  by  every  generation  of 
mankind,  in  honor  of  the  World's  Benefactor,  the  real 
lover  of  his  kin. 

And  yet,  the  fountain  of  health  and  alleviation 
which  in  His  person  was  opened  in  Judea,  and  which 
sent  out  streams  of  life  and  supplies, — leaving  restora- 
tion and  gratitude  to  mark  His  humble  steps,  as  the 
green  line  of  fresh  grass  stretching  through  the  parched 
meadow  betokens  the  under  running  of  the  fertilizing 
rill, — this  fountain  of  Christ  was  never  designed  to 
dry  up,  on  His  visible  departure. 


4 


It  was  opened,  indeed,  miraculously,  like  the  first 
trees  of  creation,  with  their  fruit  already  ripened.  But 
it  was  to  continue  living  and  operative,  like  nature's 
after  produce,  by  the  operation  of  energetic  means. 
Christ's  own  beneficent  healings, — His  feeding  the 
hungry, — His  deep  sympathy  for  the  distressed  and 
desolate,  were  but  the  first  fruits  of  a  gracious  power, 
never  intended  to  stop  with  His  visible  ministrations. 

And  it  did  not  stop  there.  For  where  did  we  say 
the  living  spring  of  kindness  and  mercy  started  ?  Was 
it  not  in  and  through  that  body  which  enfolded  "the 
divine  nature  "  X  And  does  not  scripture  tell  us  that 
this  body  is  Christ's  Church?  So  that  in  some  true, 
though  mysterious  way,  the  Church— the  blessed  com- 
pany of  the  redeemed — is  the  body  of  Christ, — an 
extension  of  His  own  nature. 

That,  then,  which  characterized  our  Lord  person- 
ally, must  still  characterize  His  body.  True,  mercy 
and  love,  and  kindly  act,  and  supplying  hand,  are  no 
longer  displayed  in  their  first  miraculous  exercise ;  yet 
their  fountain — Christ  our  life — is  lodged  here.  And 
what  first  exhibited  itself  supernaturally,  afterwards 
flows  on  ordinarily,  as  the  stream  quietly  followed  the 
Israelites,  though  its  first  gushings  was  from  a  rock 
smitten  by  the  rod  of  Moses.* 

Thus  through  the  Apostles  in  living  connexion  with 
Christ's  body,  and  then  through  those  who  on  all  sides 
have  from  age  to  age  been  joined  on  to  the  Apostolic 
fellowship,  has  Christ,  the  well-spring  of  alleviation  for 
suffering  humanity,  been  unfolding  Himself ;  and  now 
by  us,  as  embodying  His  spirit,  would  He  still  reach 


*  Exodus,  xvii :  6* 


5 


forth  the  hand  of  charity  to  succor  the  woes  and  dis- 
tresses of  all  His  kindred  flesh. 

The  nearer  the  fountain,  the  more,  unquestionably, 
was  its  miraculous  power  displayed.  Next,  the  dis- 
ciples, almost  like  their  Lord,  were  enabled  to  meet 
the  calls  of  disease  and  want.  Yet  the  more  ordinary 
and  settled  workings  of  effective  relief,  was  recognized 
at  the  beginning  in  the  cheerful  sacrifices  of  toil  and 
money.  Those  of  possessions  freely  shared  them  as 
every  man  had  need.*  Female  devotion  softened  and 
brightened  all  around  a  departing  Dorcas.f  The  feel- 
ing heart  of  the  once  fierce  Macedonian!  beats  with 
kindly  pulsations  towards  the  necessitous  brethren  of 
Judea.  Not  even  the  depths  of  Achaia's||  poverty 
could  quench  their  liberality  to  the  poor  saints  at  Jeru- 
salem, who,  for  their  faith  in  the  Lord  Jesus,  were 
suffering  every  earthly  loss.  All  seemed  to  realize, 
that  as  "  Christ  was  in  them  the  hope  of  glory,"  they 
must  put  on  Christ  and  wear  His  outward  garb  of 
mercy  and  good  works.  So  treasured  in  all  hearts  was 
the  remembrance  of  those  words  of  the  Lord  Jesus, 
"  how  he  said  it  was  more  blessed  to  give  than  re- 
ceive,'^ that  the  saying  scarcely  needed  a  formal  record 
in  the  holy  Gospels. 

Thus  Christ  went  on  reproducing  himself  in  spirit 
and  self-denying  charities  and  laborious  sympathy. 
And  his  followers,  throwing  out  the  hidden  life  of 
their  master  in  those  rich  deeds  of  true  affection,  soon 
made  Christian  charity  so  proverbial,  that  even  in 


*  Acts  ii :  44.    This  community  implied  by  no  means  a  communion  of  possession,  but 
merely  of  use.    See  Mosheim's  His.  Commu.  vol.  i.  p.  152.    Murdoch's  trans, 
f  Acts  ix  :  39.         t  Rom.  xv  :  26.  ||  2  Corin.  viii :  2.         §  Acts  xx  :  35. 


G 


Tertullian's  time  the  world  was  forced  to  confess,  "See 
how  these  Christians  love  one  another." 

Indeed,  the  heathen  would  have  it  that  "  Chris- 
tians had  some  unknown  characters  imprinted  on  their 
bodies,  and  these  characters  had  the  virtue  of  inspir- 
ing them  with  love  for  one  another."  Lucian,  an 
early  satirical  writer  against  Christianity,  does  in  fact 
but  speak  words  of  their  praise,  when  he  declares  that 
the  "Lawgiver  of  Christians  makes  them  believe  they 
are  all  brethren ;"  and,  adds  the  satirist,  "  it  is  incredi- 
ble what  pains  and  diligence  they  exercise  in  every 
way  to  succor  one  another."  And  Julian,  the  bitter 
apostate,  knowing  the  folly  of  attacking  religion  with 
open  violence,  ordered  the  pagan  priest  to  vie  with, 
and  even  surpass,  what  he  terms  the  charity  of  the 
superstitious  Christians.  "  For  it  is  a  shame,"  he  adds, 
"  that  the  impious  Galileans  should,  in  their  abounding 
benevolence,  not  only  provide  for  their  own  poor,  but 
for  ours  also." 

Thus  did  the  Gospel,  in  all  its  ministrative  love,  be- 
come emphatically  a  Gospel  for  the  poor.  In  the  city 
of  Alexandria  alone,  more  than  five  hundred  persons 
were  kept  for  the  pious  office  of  attending  on  the  sick. 
And  when  the  number  of  captives  perishing  from  hun- 
ger, had  exhausted  for  their  redemption  the  alms  of 
the  Christians  in  Numidia,  their  large-soul  Bishop  de- 
clared, that  in  such  a  strait  God  did  not  require  at  the 
altar  their  precious  vessels  ;  and  he  caused  the  massive 
service  to  be  melted  down  and  paid  out  for  the  ransom 
of  the  prisoners.* 


*See  in  Saurin's  Discourse  on  Almsgiving,  these  and  other  instances  of  the  spirit  of 
chanty  among  the  early  Christians. 


7 


Truly,  our  early  brethren  proved — as  they  called 
themselves — "Christopheri,"  bearing  Christ  within  them. 
They  studded  every  land  where  they  dwelt  with  pious 
foundations,  hospitals,  asylums.  The  Bishop  of  Con- 
stantinople says,  consider  among  how  many  poor, 
among  how  many  widows  and  orphans,  this  Church 
distributes  the  charity  of  one  rich  man.  Three  thou- 
sand pensioners  were  on  its  list. 

Thus  was  handed  down  to  each  successive  rank  in 
Christ,  this  lively  comment  on  the  doctrine  of  their 
Master.  The  pass-word  of  Christians,  whether  clergy 
or  laity,  seemed  to  be,  "  Remember  the  poor  ;"  and  yet 
the  charge  was  apparently  needless;  for  the  response 
was  promptly  returned  by  the  "  faithful"  sentinels : 
"  The  same  I  am  also  forward  to  do." 

"Re?ue?nber  the  Poor" — The  Church's  trust*  The 
striking  note  of  Christianity.  The  pass-word  of  be- 
lievers. The  true  mark  for  the  Great  Shepherd  in 
knowing  his  own.  Love's  binding  cord  of  sympathy 
and  fellowship.  That  which  causes  us  to  feel  we  are 
all  one  in  Christ  Jesus ;  which  acknowledges  we 
brought  nothing  into  this  world,  and  that  we  can  carry 
nothing  out ;  and  that  having  food  and  raiment  bids 
us  be  content. 

Remember  the  Poor.  I  cannot  announce  this  leg- 
acy of  Christ  without  trembling  for  myself,  for  you,  for 
the  Church  in  our  day.  It  is  a  fearful  subject  for 
earnest  contemplation  !  It  is  so  awful,  so  appalling,  so 
withering  in  its  rebuke.  I  do  not  wonder  all  speedily 
turn  from  it,  unless  they  are  deeply  thoughtful  of  the 
last-day-account  of  their  stewardship. 

The  poor  of  Christ, — those  whom  He  once  "wash- 

*  "  Then  saith  He  to  the  disciple,  1  Behold  thy  mother !' "   John  xix  :  27. 


s 


ed  and  sanctified," — thrust  out  from  their  brethren  into 
damp  cellars  and  cold  garrets,  so  stiffened  by  the  moist 
walls,  or  benumbed  with  cold,  as  to  have  scarce  left 
faculties  for  spiritual  ejaculations,  even  had  they  hearts 
warmed  by  experienced  kindnesses!  The  poor  of 
Christ — fastened  down  to  their  tedious,  wearing  toil ; 
the  feeble  and  decrepid  and  almost  blind  made  a  prey 
to  the  grinding,  iron  hand  of  covetousness, — trying  with 
strained  eye  to  point  aright  their  unsteady  needle,  on 
the  garment  of  a  long  day  and  midnight's  incessant 
stitch,  in  order  to  gain  six,  or  eight,  or  by  better  favor 
ten  pence,  to  provide  a  scanty  morsel,  and  prevent  being 
turned  shelterless  into  the  street* 

The  Poor  of  Christ; — without  substantial  fellow- 
ship ; — fearing  that  in  sickness  no  soothing  hand  will 
minister  to  them  ; — that  in  death  none  devout  will  bear 
them  to  their  burial ;  but  that  their  bodies,  though 
made  temples  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  which  Chris- 
tianity bids  us  so  sacredly  to  revere,  may  yet,  like  a 
thousand  others,  have  scarcely  enough  of  mother  earth 
to  cover  them  in  her  bosom  for  a  month.f  Oppressed 
with  this  fear,  those  who  have  saved  a  little  are  found 
driven  to  the  expedients  of  voluntary  associations  ; — 
giving  to  these  the  time,  the  saved  pence,  and  the  warm 
sympathy  and  kind  words,  that  ought  all  to  be  won 
and  garnered  up  in  Christ's  kingdom,  and  form  a 
treasury  of  sympathy,  and  alms,  and  poor  man's  bless- 
ing and  prayers,  and  rich  man's  abundance,  for  disburs- 
ment  as  every  man  has  need. 

Oh,  the  poor  in  Christ!  Our  aged  and  infirm  breth- 
ren ;  once  well  to  do  in  life  ;  once  surrounded  by  rich 

*It  is  only  those  constantly  among  the  poor,  who  are  at  all  aware  how  manifold  are 
such  instances. 

+  See  a  late  Report  in  regard  to  some  of  the  shocking  interments  of  the  poor. 


9 


friends,  or  sympathizing  relatives,  now  out-lived,  or  no 
longer  at  hand.  These  honored  servants  of  Christ — 
our  brethren — homeless — fearful  that  some  common 
receptacle  for  the  vile  and  degraded  and  the  impious, 
shall  be  the  home  of  their  lingering  days  ;  the  bar  to 
further  religious  privileges  ;  their  effectual  removal  from 
the  sanctuary  of  their  God,  that  one  remaining  spot  on 
earth  of  their  devout  longings  and  solace ! 

Brethren,  this  state  of  things  is  alarming.  Yet  it  is 
an  aspect  of  the  present  state  of  the  Church,  which 
not  to  ponder  on  is  madness.  Both  bodies  and  souls 
of  Christ's  poor  are  neglected  and  dying.  They  have 
not  homes  either  for  their  bodies  or  spirits.  Few  of 
the  wealthy  make  provision  for  the  destitute  in  the 
same  Church  with  themselves,  or  elsewhere.1*  Seldom 
any  parish  puts  a  stop  to  renting  pews,  so  long  as  there 
is  a  paying  applicant  for  a  seat.  Instead  of  those  with 
means  making  up  the  necessary  support  of  the  parish 
by  their  increased  individual  liberality,  an  assessment 
goes  on  till  the  building  is  pretty  effectually  emptied  of 
all  but  the  more  able. 

This  state  of  things  cannot  long  continue.  If  the 
spirit  is  abroad  and  reanimating  Christian  breasts, — 
that  spirit  which  made  suffering  and  pain  and  sorrow 
sacred  and  holy, — it  will  thaw  this  ice  about  the  heart; 
it  will  drive  out  these  abominations  from  God's  house 
of  prayer,  and  go  on  to  reveal  itself  in  those  hospitals 
for  the  sick,  poor,  aged,  and  strangers  ;  in  increased 
church  accommodations;  in  those  homes  for  the  outcast 
and  desolate,  which  are  the  perpetual  appendages  of 


'How  refreshing  the  exceptions  where  a  Church  is  built  by  a  rich  individual,  and 
chapels  are  provided  by  wealthy  parishes. 

2 


10 


Christ's  living  body.  Through  these  expressive  means 
is  it,  that  Christ's  compassionateness  ever  seeks  the 
ends  of  His  mercy.  They  are  the  peculiar  note  of  His 
Holy  Catholic  Church. 

I  know  the  world  here  imitates.  Benevolence  is 
such  a  favorite  mask,  and  one  withal  so  lovely,  so  sure 
of  winning,  that  all  institutions  setting  themselves  up 
as  Christ's  kingdom,  or  its  rival,  show  their  lists  of 
noble  charities.  Yet,  it  has  been  truly  remarked,  "they 
do  but  imitate  the  ministries  of  manifold  charities 
through  which  the  mystical  body  of  Christ  con- 
soles meek,  broken-hearted,  and  mourning  spirits.  At 
the  out-set,  sects  are  always  distinguished  by  a  great 
profession  of  sympathy  with  the  spiritual  and  bodily 
sufTerings  of  mankind.  They  found  themselves  on 
the  alledged  neglect  or  inability  of  the  Church  to 
minister  to  the  contrite  and  the  afflicted.  Their 
strength  lies  in  their  popularity,  in  their  moving  affec- 
tionateness,  and  forward  profession  of  disinterested  so- 
licitude, and  in  stealing  away  the  hearts  of  the  people. 
But  this  lasts  only  for  a  time.  The  first  zeal  dies 
when  the  point  is  gained ;  labor  and  care  grow  slack, 
and  self-denying  charity  cold  and  scant.  *  *  *  * 
Howsoever  long  they  may  simulate  the  notes  of  the 
Church,  adopt  its  language,  and  affect  its  charity,  they 
sink  by  mere  exhaustion  at  last."*  Yearning  hearts 
are  at  last  drawn  away  from  them  by  strong  vital 
attractions  of  fervent  charity  in  the  Church. 

And  just  as  this  her  charity  grows  more  and  more 
fervent  and  spreading,  shall  we  perceive  the  erring,  the 


*  This  was  the  noble  and  well  deserved  testimony  borne  by  Manning  to  the  Church 
of  his  first  love,  and  which  had  sustained  and  nourished  him  to  his  rare  spiritual 
attainments. 


11 


straying,  and  the  bewildered,  return  to  the  fold  of  the 
true  Shepherd  and  Bishop  of  their  souls. 

This  Christian  lov.e,  brethren,  is  undeniably  at  work 
afresh  in  our  generation.  In  the  ordinary  workings  of 
grace,  it  is  extending  from  the  heart  of  Christian  to 
Christian.  Its  holy  influences  are  all  abroad.  I  trust 
they  reach  here ; — that  they  are  the  moving  spring  of 
what  shall  be  so  humbly  commenced  to-day.  Other- 
wise I  should  deem  the  undertaking  presumptuous.  I 
should  deem  it  futile.  "Except  the  Lord  build  the 
house  their  labor  is  but  lost  that  build  it." 

But  nothing  is  weak  that  issues  from  the  mighty 
power  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  is  watered  with  the 
dew  of  His  heavenly  grace  and  blessing.  Hoping, 
trusting,  that  what  we  are  about  to  undertake  is  the 
prompting  of  this  blessed  Spirit,  it  does  not  seem  arro- 
gant to  propose  our  work,  and  quietly  thus  to  make 
our  beginning. 

Therefore,  God  willing — the  Father,  the  Son,  and 
the  Holy  Ghost,  in  whom  alone  all  that  is  strong,  all 
that  is  holy,  must  be  begun,  continued  and  ended — 
we  make  this  commencement  of  St.  Lukes  Home  for 
Destitute  and  Aged  Christians. 

I  feel  that  this  announcement  will  accord  with  all 
the  emotions  of  your  souls.  If  it  only  could  be,  you 
would  regard  it  as  something  most  devoutly  to  be  de- 
sired. But  if  it  ought  to  be,  then  I  suppose  it  can  be. 
It  is  not  of  course  a  work  of  ease,  or  the  work  of  a 
day  or  year,  for  its  full  accomplishment.  How  soon, 
or  whether  speedily,  it  may  approach  to  consumma- 
tion, is  to  be  left  with  patience  to  God's  blessing  on 
faithful  endeavors. 


12 


The  apparent  feebleness  of  any  beginning  is  not 
fatal  to  its  final  success.  In  standing  on  a  level  of 
limited  meadow-land,  embosomed  high  up  among  the 
peaks  of  the  noble  Catskill,  may  be  seen  here  and 
there  slight  marshy  pools — little  sheets  of  still  water 
round  about  with  their  glassy  faces,  and  running  off 
in  quiet  trickling  streams.  But  what  becomes  of  the 
rivulets,  whether  they  soon  dry  up,  lost  by  absorption 
and  evaporation,  or  whether  they  combine  at  length, 
inviting  into  their  channel  the  tributary  rills  and  moun- 
tain torrents,  till  the  force  of  these  accessions  have 
scooped  out  a  channel  sufficiently  deep,  and  a  bosom 
broad  enough  to  form  one  of  the  important  rivers  of 
the  country,  would  be  utterly  uncertain  to  one  who  did 
not  know  that  he  was  standing  at  the  head  of  the  Dela- 
ware. And  we  who  cannot  look  into  the  stream  of 
time  beyond  our  present  stand-point,  can  little  fathom 
the  issue  of  our  undertaking. 

But  in  this,  beloved,  we  should  all  agree,  that  if  after 
many  years  we  were  to  realize  a  permanent  Home  for 
as  many  as  twenty,  or  even  ten,  of  the  weary  and  per- 
plexed and  destitute  in  their  Christian  pilgrimage  ;  if 
we  can  have  secured  a  place  of  resort  to  these  our 
unfortunate,  our  sorely  tried,  our  reduced  fellow-heirs 
of  life,  we  shall  have  engaged  in  a  work  most  pleasing 
to  Christ,  and  which,  for  His  alone  merits,  He  will 
kindly  accept  at  the  last  day. 

And  why  may  it  not  be  accomplished  ?  Is  there  not 
continued  to  us,  and  now  again  at  work,  that  primitive 
spirit — the  spirit  of  Christ — the  spirit  which  clothes 
itself  in  works  of  mercy,  in  deeds  of  charity  ? 


13 


Surely  not  for  centuries  past  have  so  many  noble 
monuments  been  raised  in  honor  of  our  blessed  Lord, 
as  within  the  last  twenty-five  years.  Zion  is  again 
putting  on  her  beautiful  garments.  On  all  sides  go  up 
her  walls  of  salvation.  Re-opening  are  her  gates  of 
praise.  Once  more  is  yearning  love  embracing  the 
poor  and  outcast,  and  charity  is  protecting  under  her 
kindly  folds  the  needy  and  the  delicate  from  the  cold 
blasts  of  adversity.  The  clearest  evidence  that  the 
revived  work  is  of  God,  is  witnessed  to  in  the  growing 
responsibility  for  the  bodies  no  less  than  at  the  same 
time  and  place  for  the  souls  of  men.  Christians  are 
again  seeing  Christ  in  his  poor.  They  are  entering 
afresh  into  the  deep  import  of  those  words,  "  Inasmuch 
as  ye  have  done  it  unto  one  of  the  least  of  these  my 
brethren,  ye  have  done  it  unto  me."  And  hearts  will 
grow  yet  more  tender  and  enlarged.  Nobler  gifts  will 
come,  and  with  greater  frequency.  Godlike  sacrifices 
will  open  the  way  for  ampler  appropriations  for  Chris- 
tian purposes.  The  first  drops  of  the  fertilizing  rain 
are  already  falling.  Believers  are  beginning  to  shrink 
from  consuming  upon  themselves  and  their  families  for 
their  own  enjoyment,  all  their  richest  gifts  and  expen- 
ditures. And  when  dying,  it  is  seen  they  have  not 
forgotten  the  exhortation  enjoined  in  the  visitation  of 
the  sick,*  "  that  they  should  be  liberal  to  the  poor." 
In  England  and  America  are  the  hearts  and  hands  of 
private  wealth  and  individual  means  nobly  unlocking 
for  the  outflowing  of  most  gracious  almsdeeds.  Some 
of  our  institutionsf  most  vital  to  the  Church's  pros- 

*See  Rubric  in  the  Office  for  the  Visitation  of  the  Sick,  immediately  following  the  Creed. 
+  The  Khone  legacies  to  the  General  Theological  Seminary,  of  §90,000,  and  $20,000 
to  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Sunday  School  Union. 


14 


perity,  have  just  been  munificently  succored  with  most 
timely  bequests. 

It  is  from  such  sources  I  meekly  trust  will  come  sup- 
plies to  the  charitable  work  of  this  day's  commence- 
ment. There  are  many,  whose  connexion  with  St. 
Lukes  at  one  time  and  another,  will  lead  them  to  make 
some  provision  for  an  object  of  this  nature.  There 
always  are  those  connected  with  various  parishes  who 
are  glad  to  be  pointed  to  such  a  permanent  opportunity 
of  effecting  the  greatest  good.  There  are  always  more 
or  less  of  those  who,  without  families,  without  depend- 
ent relations,  need  but  to  know  there  is  such  an  Insti- 
tution, to  decide  them  to  leave  the  whole,  or  a  por- 
tion of  their  means,  to  be  invested  in  so  certain  a  way 
of  blessing  the  afflicted  and  consoling  the  lonely  desti- 
tute. There  are  those  who  by  their  own  trials  will  be 
glad  to  leave  even  of  their  little  to  alleviate  the  lot  of 
others  so  much  more  homeless  and  dependent  than 
themselves.  And  when  duty  and  authority  admonish 
to  make  his  will,  who  will  fail  to  place  something 
where  it  shall  perpetuate  a  work  still  doing  after  his 
death  the  fervent  desires  of  his  heart.  This  is  one 
class  of  expected  aid. 

But  it  is,  it  ought  to  be,  from  the  living,  we  prin- 
cipally look  for  succor.  And  as  it  is  not  a  mere  ordin- 
ary work,  so  it  must  expect  alms  beyond  those  for 
the  ordinary  and  general  offerings  for  the  poor. 

God's  ancient  Church  in  Jewry,  the  Church  of 
Christ  for  centuries,  and  more  or  less  of  her  mem- 
bers in  every  age,  well  knew  the  nature  of  thank- 
offerings.  These  are  spontaneous  expressions  of  sig- 
nal mercies.    When  sickness  and  disease  have  been 


15 


warded  off;  when  epidemics  and  pestilences  have  left 
us  unharmed ;  when  God  has  raised  us  up  from  threat- 
ening illness ;  when  dangers  and  exposures  have  been 
escaped ;  when  marked  losses  have  been  avoided  ; 
when  happy  deaths  of  our  friends  have  been  granted, 
and  safe  deliverances  in  great  perils  of  body,  or  mind, 
or  spirit ;  when  bequests  or  legacies  are  enjoyed ;  in 
any  or  all  of  such  occasions,  the  heart,  touched  with 
Christian  love,  has  ever  desired  to  give  some  substan- 
tial token  of  its  gratitude.  To  this  source,  from  month 
to  month,  in  addition  to  the  usual  offerings,  may  this 
charitable  foundation  look  for  specific  appropriations, 
marked  for  its  merciful  use. 

And,  then,  there  are  always  those  full  of  good  works 
and  labor  of  love,  to  whom  it  would  be  sweet  to  make 
known  such  an  object  of  charity,  and  whose  appeals 
would  be  responded  to  by  many  sympathizing  hearts, 
and  many  an  open  purse.  I  do  not  know  who  would 
pass  it  by  with  an  indifferent  breast.  I  cannot  think 
one  Christian  would  look  coldly  upon  it. 

But  it  is  too  unspeakable  a  mercy  to  be  allowed  to 
lift  even  a  finger  in  God's  service,  and  mingle  one 
wishful  entreaty  in  that  ever-rising  incense-cloud  of 
Christ's  intercession,  to  think  of  putting  our  hand  to 
this  holy  work,  and  placing  the  first  dollar  on  God's 
altar*  for  an  acceptable  oblation,  without  bethinking  us 
of  our  own  inherent  unfitness  and  impotency,  or  with- 
out renewing  our  dedication  to  Christ,  in  deep  peni- 
tence and  unreserved  purposes  of  amendment.  Oh, 
how  sanctified  ought  we  to  be  to  do  work  in  God's 


*  The  undertaking  was  solemnized  by  the  Holy  Communion. 


16 


holy  Church — especially  to  work  where  we  must  be 
called  continually  to  "  hoping  against  hope." 

Therefore,  on  this  altar  of  God,  let  us  anew  lay  our 
whole  hearts,  as  the  chiefest,  richest  gift  of  His  request. 
Then  let  us  offer  our  souls  and  bodies  as  a  living  sac- 
rifice in  His  service.  Thus  may  our  alms  and  obla- 
tions and  prayers  come  up  as  an  acceptable  memorial 
before  God. 

If  we  have  heretofore  lived  to  ourselves,  let  us  now 
resolve  to  live  to  Him  that  died  for  us.  If  we  have  been 
appropriating  the  good  things  to  our  present  life-time, 
let  us  turn  with  a  more  feeling  spirit  to  Lazarus,  with 
scant  clothing,  scant  food,  and  shelterless.  Let  us 
strive  with  less  weariness,  less  fainting,  to  do  the  work 
of  saints. 

We  can  work  but  a  little  longer.  Soon,  even  now 
with  many,  the  shadows  of  the  evening  stretch  out. 
The  friends  to  receive  us  into  everlasting  habitations 
must  be  soon  made.  Noble  purposes  will  speedily  dis- 
sipate, if  not  clothed  with  the  deeds  designed.  A  few 
times  more  only  will  Christ  pass  you  and  meet  you  in 
His  poor,  and  your  opportunity  is  sealed.  May  God 
fill  us  with  the  fullness  of  holy  charity,  through  Jesus 
Christ,  man's  loving  and  abiding  Friend. 


